Every so often someone comes along who's creative talent and skill just blows your mind. This past week in Orlando Florida, WEVA International held their annual Expo, a gathering of thousands of videographers and cinematographers there to learn and sharpen their skills in the wedding and event video industry. The centerpiece of the Expo is the Creative Excellence Awards where the best of the best are recognized for their creativity and skill in an Olympic style judging contest.
A friend who attended the Expo dropped me an email with a link to a video that is absolutely gorgeous and had won gold at the CEAs for it's catagory. The winner was Blue Skies Cinema in southern California. Owned by Jeff and Andee Wright, their videos are off the hook. Having watched tons of videos since joining Bridal Films I can only say they are the top of the industry and the best cinematographers I have ever seen.
This video is the first of this years winners we have been able to get ahold of so check back soon to see even more winners and learn just what wedding cinematography can do for YOU!
Sit back, relax and you are going to enjoy this Bridal Spotlight video, which is intended to showcase the bride in her wedding gown. Be sure to watch till towards the end for the truly spectacular shots, you'll know which ones, I'm not going to spoil it for you. Enjoy!
I'm happy to announce we have been able to add another one of the WEVA Creative Excellence Award winners to our CEA page! This one is the Gold winner for the Demo catagory from All Occasions Video in Chicago IL. We'd like to thank Keith Anderson for allowing us to use it!
I am shocked by the number of bad wedding videos out there. It also seems that the majority of brides and grooms who wish after their wedding that they had hired a videographer. Often when asked why they didn't they say things like, "every video I ever saw or was in sucked but I don't know what to look for in a video". Or "I didn't want something that looked like my uncle shot it, so I didn't get one".
Bridal Films to the rescue. I have gotten one of my favorite wedding videographers to write us a series of articles detailing exactly what makes a good wedding video! So here is the first part of What To Look In A Wedding Video Demo Part One In forth coming articles he will be discussing what is good imagery, editing and whatever else he comes up with. -Amy
As a wedding cinematographer it never ceases to amaze me just how many poorly produced wedding videos are out there and how many brides and grooms regrettably purchased them. Not all videographers are created equal and as the consumer you need to educate yourself as to what to look for in a wedding video. In this and following articles we will illustrate what is good and what is bad when you are looking at wedding video demos.
Audio Is One Half Of A Video! Without audio video is nothing more than a sequence of still images displayed at 30 frames per second. Your photographer with modern cameras can capture 9 frames per second, why hire a videographer then if you aren’t going to be able to hear anything. The mp3 below is an example of a poorly done wedding video audio track during the readings. Notice that you can hear the person, but not very clearly. (Due to these clips being from a competitor's video the names have been removed and I am using video only.)
The audio could have been far more intelligable and easy to understand if the videographer had bothered to do his job properly. The following video clip demonstrates just how a reading should sound.
I like making videos sound "you are there" as much as possible so I have mixed back in some of the natural echo of the church while maintaining the clear and understandable words of the reader.
This next audio clip is from the vows of the wedding. This is where your audio should really excel! After all you will want to hear the words you spoke to each other on the altar. In the audio clip below... Well take a listen...
My sister brought this obscure wedding tradition to my attention today. She is getting married this summer and since she is younger than I thought that I should dance the Pig Trough or Hog Trough. She can forget it, I have no care how much bad luck I her, I am not doing the dance.
For those who are going, what is she talking about? The Pig Trough Dance evidently goes like this. When a younger sibling gets married before the older sibling, it is considered bad luck for the newlyweds. Of course the older sibling would not want to cause the newlyweds bad luck, so in order to break the curse, the older sibling dances ina hod trough at the younger siblings reception till the trough breaks. Personally I think this is more to humiliate the older sibling... I'll do the chicken dance, sis, not the pig dance!
YouTube has a few of these Pig Trough videos on them.
A honey moon is just one of the things the movie, Made Of Honor is giving away to promote the film! I am looking forward to this movie, you can't go wrong with Patrick! You can win a wedding, a European honeymoon and many other prizes. Sponsored by the Knot and the movie the link for this wedding sweepstakes is below.
It's time to inaugurate our Wedding Film of the day.
I love this wedding trailer for Chris and Jenn! DVideography. one of the top wedding video studios in Philly and it's owner Dave Williams is known for his Creative Excellence award winning videos. Wedding videos have come such a long way since being the pervue of an uncle with a camcorder. Today they are as slick and cutting edge as anything that Hollywood can produce. So sit back and enjoy this excellent wedding trailer produced by DVideography!
I love this photo by Faith West Photography. The soaring architecture of the Basilica in the background as the bride and groom pay respect to the Virgin Mary. Just gorgeous! You can find more images at Mark Kingsdorf 's blog, owner of The Queen of Hearts Wedding Consultants along with a few details about the wedding.
Genuine coaster stock, and cool designs with the invitation area on the back, Snow & Graham's double-sided coaster invitations are a unique way to invite guests to your next party or bridal shower!
Here is a cool idea that is different from the norm! Coaster Invitations from Snow & Graham!
From the depths of teenage bad behavior on My Sweet 16 on MTV the Partyzillas have grown up and graduated to BrideZilla and their selfish, self absorbed ways know no bounds. Fox News is reporting that Brides in their pursuit of the picture perfect wedding day are drafting up their own prenuptial agreements for their bridesmaids! That is right ladies, if asked to be in a wedding in the near future you could be presented with a contract. Common clauses include not gaining weight, no tan lines allowed, dyeing hair a certain shade maintaining a certain fingernail length and style, to name just a few...
What are weddings coming to, when brides are putting their supposed best friends under contract for their personal appearance. Have we forgotten what weddings and receptions are all about? Unconditional love! Love of a man and woman, love of family and friends, love to be shared.
It's up to you if in the future a "friend" presents you with a bridesmaid contract whether you sign it. Personally I'd drop it at the bride's feet and find something better to do that night.
I have to wonder, are shows like My Sweet 16 and Bridezillas a reflection of society or driving society down their holes?
This is a cool wedding idea! Today I stumbled over the Mars Inc. website (chocolate is a girl's best friend!) and discovered they are offering to personalize the backs of M&Ms for weddings!
Here is what their website says: Personalized M&M'S® Chocolate Candies on mymms.com. MY M&M'S® are a great way to customize your wedding favors, birthday party, or give as a creative gift. Personalize your candy with your choice of color and a personal message.
Over at Weddings By Socialites, wedding planner Kelly has a few good suggestions on what to look for when hiring a band for your wedding reception. How Big Should My Band Be?
Here is a Christine Aguilera song/video I just found on YouTube. The video appears to incorporate footage from her actual wedding. Save Me From Myself, by Christine Aguilera.
Our latest Wedding Photo of the day is from Allure Films. This is a fantastic wedding photo using natural window light. I love this image, it's one of my all time favorites and I've seen a lot of photography doing this job. Go check out more of Allure Films' photography work. They also do wedding videos.
Heather Waraksa from Brooklyn, NY does some gorgeous work! I just fell in love with the wedding of Deb and Andrew. Check more wedding photos out at Hearther's blog!
Yesterday I ran across a bride who I had exchanged a few emails with and reads our sister site Michiana Weddings. Michiana has lot of similar content as this one but limited to a regional flavor. Well one of the email exchanges we had was about wedding video, she was a little tic'ed that I was constantly pushing wedding video on the blog and her mother was pushing her on the subject, using the blog. Well I can't help it, I have heard too many of my friends/cousings complain they did not have a wedding video after the wedding. And one of my most treasured family videos is an old degrading vhs tape of my in my aunt's wedding as a 2 year old flower girl. And I wouldn't have that video if my aunt hadn't paid someone to make it.
Well, Julie (not her real name to protect the guilty) stood her ground and kept to her original plan of having a friend record the wedding. Make a long story short, during the vows the video shows the friend's feet and floor because he didn't bother actually turning the camera on the B&G from where he was sitting. So no vows, no rings, no nothing. During the reception there is some fantastic shots of women's clevage and butts but not much else. Especially missing is the Father's toast, for which the friend was at the bar he claims.
The moral, well the mom won't let the bride forget the disaster the friend made the video and the bride is now mad at her friend.. Hire a professional, save your friendships and keep peace in the family. :-)
I have been thinking about this for quite a while. I have been surfing photographer's blogs for quite a while now, seeing some incredible stuff. Well I'm going to start recognizing some of my favorite images I find on the web with Wedding Photo of the Day.
Our inaugural Wedding Photo of the Day comes from photographer Becker a wedding photographer from Orange County, California. This is from the first dance during a New Years Eve wedding.
First there was the Bridal Party Thriller Dance... Then came the first dance of Baby Got Back and now we have a father & daughter dance to...
I'm working on assembling a bunch of these YouTube videos right here and don't forget to check out our list of Father Daughter Songs at Wedding Grooves!
Our favorite USPS is raising postage prices on May 12th for the second consecutive year from 41 cents to 42 cents. The price of the FOREVER stamp will go up at the same time. If you purchase the FOREVER stamp for 41 cents it will still be usable for first class postage after the rate increase takes place. So in order to avoid the rate increase I recommend going out and purchasing a few rolls of the FOREVER stamp. Other rates are going up also, so depending on the size of your wedding invitations, you should check with the postal service so you’re not surprised when it comes time to mail them out.
Amy Taylor is Editor and Chief of Bridal Films, Michiana Weddings and their respective websites and publications. Her passion for all things weddings started with "helping my sister plan her dream wedding"
